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Berthold Korts
|death_date= |birth_place=Karlsruhe |death_place=near Charkow |image=Berthold_Korts.jpg |caption=Berthold Korts |allegiance= Nazi Germany |branch= Luftwaffe |serviceyears= |rank=Leutnant |commands=9./JG 52 |unit= JG 52 |battles=World War II |awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross }} Berthold Korts (21 May 1912 – 29 August 1943) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 113 aerial victories—that is, 113 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( ). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Career Berthold Korts military career began with the artillery before he began his pilot training in the summer of 1940.Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations. Holding the rank of Feldwebel, he was transferred to 9th Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) on the Eastern front as in June 1942.For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II. In spring of 1943 he served with the Stab of III./JG 52. Promoted to an officers rank and Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) he led the 9th Staffel of JG 52 as of 11 May 1943. Over the Kuban bridgehead he achieved his 23rd–26th aerial victory on 15 April 1943, 36th–40th on 27 May 1943 and the 50th on 2 June 1943. The 75th aerial victory was claimed on 3 August 1943 and the century mark was reached on 17 August 1943 — 39 aerial victories in month of August. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on the day he went missing in action.Obermaier 1989, p. 150. Korts and his wingman Unteroffizier Hans-Otto Müller were last seen in combat with Soviet P-39 Airacobra fighters on 29 August 1943. Awards *Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class *Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 1 February 1943 as Feldwebel and pilotPatzwall 2008, p. 123. *German Cross in Gold on 12 July 1943 as Leutnant in the Stab III./JG 52Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 247. *Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 August 1943 as Leutnant and pilot in the 9./JG 52Fellgiebel 2000, p. 270. Notes References ;Citations ;Bibliography * Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5. * Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6. * Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X. *Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3. * Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. External links * Category:1912 births Category:1943 deaths Category:People from Karlsruhe Category:Luftwaffe pilots Category:German World War II flying aces Category:German military personnel of World War II Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross